I am extremely surprised to see (168) A Change of Heart (written on 12/1/2013) garnered 60 viewing and rose to the second highest ranking within a little more than a month.
When my brother won a scholarship to a college in New York state, my father told him not to return but to gain resident status. He did stay on long enough to earn a Masters degree. After that he went to work in China and Hong Kong. When my turn came, I was given a sound telling to for choosing to return to a country that father said bode a dim future for me. Of course he was glad that I was around to care for him whenever he was sick. Now that he is no longer around to see what financial strait USA has been reduced to, I realize I am correct to listen to an all knowing God rather than to decide based on the then current circumstances.
Looking at my generation of Chinese men and women, generally we have done well despite reverse discrimination in broad educational policies. Those who are good in academics managed to gain entrance into Singapore, USA, Australia, New Zealand ... Even those who are not wealthy managed to win scholarships and financial aid to study abroad. A handful who are not academically inclined managed to start businesses and made good. It could be a hawker stall, small restaurants, machinist factory, packaging contractor, computer retail, hand phone booths in shopping centers, stalls selling crystal jewelry, service center offering cleaning service ...
Although it is not easy to live under discrimination, I personally think that my brothers and I work three times as hard as those who are favored. In the short term, it was frustrating. However, we were forced to strive harder and aim for excellence. My eldest brother sat for our O-level national language paper quite a few times to get a good grade. I was lucky that I managed to qualify for a Credit at first try. For my generation, my siblings and I all possess at least one foreign degree.
For the next generation, Victor is working now with two foreign degrees. Mandy is finishing her local private college degree. Kenneth and Elizabeth are both working towards local public university degrees. Whatever government policies are, those who have the will shall find a way. The rest of the children are still young or have opted for other avenues.
There is, however, one snag that exists: for those who were side-lined whom later chose Christianity, a few received clear callings to relocate to neighboring countries. The people group they have to work with look like the main race in our country, have similar religion and language roots. One missionary from my home town struggled for years to love the tribe he has dedicated his life to win. It was not until he realized the bitterness he held toward these people because of our governmental decisions that he had the breakthrough he had worked years to gain. I am fortunate that even though I did not receive any local uni offer, I could choose between an US and a Singaporean offer. But interestingly, I was not called to work with any regional tribes. I am called to work with the learning disabled, at first children and later adults. With the advent of the world wide web, I could literally reach all countries, every race regardless of time zone and geographical differences. For years I have functioned in English, but now I am required to speak in Mandarin and Cantonese to reach my targets.
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